Kotaku
By Brian Ashcraft
"Thing I love about Kotaku is that you just don't care," says Gearbox Software boss Randy Pitchford. (Not sure if we don't care per se, but rather, that we care a little too much.) It's a few days before Christmas, and he is showing me around Gearbox's Texas HQ that occupies the top four floors of a suburban Dallas high-rise. Pitchford is open and upfront. Want to take a picture of a wall with concept art? Sure. The dev opened up its doors and showed us pretty much everything it could. Gearbox, best known for the Brothers in Arms series and the Halo: Combat Evolved PC port, is poised for a breakout year in 2008 when the company brings Dreamcast title Samba de Amigo to the Wi, puts out original FPS Borderlands and a new entry into the Brothers in Arms tactical shooter series. With its pedigree Borderlands makes perfect sense. But Samba?
"We're huge Samba fans. Huge Dreamcast fans," Pitchford tells me. "We totally told SEGA they had to let us do it. People want a Samba Wii game." SEGA consented, and Gearbox dove in trying to squeeze the max potential out of the Wii-mote. Sure, Nintendo is making tons of money with the Wii. Third party devs haven't been as rewarded for Wii innovation. Case in point: Capcom's Zack and Wiki, which posted embarrassingly poor sales figures. Pitchford does point out that SEGA has hit with Mario and Sonic at the Olympics — though, that game *does* feature Mario. Still, Pitchford is optimistic.
"Third parties are doing alright with the Wii if they spend the right amount of money and time," he says. "People bought the Wii for the promise of the Wii Remote."
While, the Dreamcast version of Samba de Amigo has specially designed maraca peripherals, Gearbox has the challenge of turning the Wii-mote into, well, maraca peripherals. Here's the challenge: The Wii-mote itself is high tech, while the Nunchuk Wii peripheral is not. Sure, it does have a three-axis accelerometer, but still isn't the same level of technology that's in the Wii Remote. What's more, the Wii-mote doesn't always know where it is in space. It knows it's been moved, but positioning it can be tricky. So getting the Wii-mote and the Nunchuk to input the same? Or what about making it so players can use two Wii-motes instead of a Wii Remote and a Nunchuk? Not easy! "It's possible," Pitchford explains. "You just need a lot of smart people who can do a lot of math." Attitudes like that (and only attitudes like that) will keep the Wii out of the third party hobo gutter.
Not exactly what you'd expect from a company that cut its teeth on WWII tactical shooters. "Steven Spielberg told me he really thought the Brothers in Arms series had beautiful graphics," Pitchford says. The upcoming Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway is more accessible than previous its titles and better looking. "If I had to guess, it's 15-20 percent more high def than Gears of War," he says. Don't expect a Portal type add-on game bundled with Hell's Highway, but the concept of that added content is appealing to Gearbox. "It's added value," Pitchford says. "Like at the beginning of Pixar movies. They have those little shorts, which give them an opportunity to experiment and try out different things. I don't know if we'll have time to do something like that before Brother in Arms: Hell's Highway ships, but definitely before the generation is over."
Gearbox points to historical and military accuracy as to what separates Brothers in Arms from other shooters. The market is clogged, choked with WII shooters — so much so that dev Infinity Ward took the World War II out of World War II shooter Call of Duty in the latest installment in the series. "The Call of Duty guys makes great shooters, but they're just Quake dressed up in World War II. There are no characters in it I remember. There isn't deep historical accuracy. It's just a really fun shooter." Going as far as to employee a military officer for consulting and use WWII aerial surveillance maps for creating in-game maps, Gearbox isn't pussyfooting around.
While Gearbox ponders ways to keep WWII real for gamers, it's taking a major step with original IP Borderlands. The FPS took inspiration from movies like Mad Max and Raiders of the Lost Ark and even TV shows like Firefly and Deadwood. It's set in the future on a large planet that rotates so slowly that it takes something like one hundred hours to turn once. The season is spring and things are coming out of hibernation. Characters are class based with a solider, a hunter and a magician. Players can level up their characters and go on side quests. Sound like a RPG? "In the beginning of Halo, Master Chief is the same as he is at the end," says Pitchford. "Sure, the story has changed, but the character hasn't." Leveling up the characters in Borderlands does change them. "The coolest thing about games like World of Warcraft is leveling up your character and then going to up to band of weaker players and totally destroying them," he says. The game allows for up to four player co-op that allows new players to enter and leave on the fly. Also, it's possible to play with characters of different levels in co-op and even level-up your own characters in co-op. Not only will this sort of leveling up change the playing field in Borderlands, but guns. Lots and lots of guns.
Borderlands features an in-house Gearbox created weapons sequencer that can produce up to a half a million different weapons — all with different names, appearance, properties. "Imagine any cool weapon you've ever wanted in a game," Pitchford says. "Borderlands has it." The sequencing means that players will most likely never see the same weapon twice. Ever. Gearbox doesn't seem concerned about the possibility of there being one single weapon that is more powerful than anything else in the game. "If there's a gun that can break the game, why would we limit that?" he says. Do you think there is a gun that can break the game? "I don't know," he says. "I guess we'll find out." Gearbox doesn't care either way. Or maybe, it just cares too much.
Comments
You mean Borderlands will have my Heat seeking Chicken Launcher, with laser sight and barbecue sauce? Sweet!
Every once in a while, it makes me very happy to know that bottom lines and profits don't rule this industry. If they did, we'd never get to see Samba de Amigo hit the Wii. It's a niche title that Sega was all top happy to hand over to Gearbox, because while Sega needs to post profits, Gearbox, I guess, needs to make fun games?
After the Activision flub about 'exploiting' franchises, I like this kind of commitment to quality gaming over massive profits on "Same Shit: 2008 Pile".
Samba on the Wii! Too bad I will never own a Wii.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay Ashcraft is back!
Please regale us with many stories/Night Notes of Minibash's escapades in Christmastime Texas!
Kotakuites want to know! (I want to know.)
Heck make it a feature! You, good sir, have been missed.
*goes back to read the actual article now*
@Ghede: We could do that... but don't count on it.
"people want a Samba Wii game"????? Who people??? What people??? I love a monkey dressed up like a stereotype just as much as the next guy, but honestly.... Who outside of their offices was really kneeling next to their beds each night praying for a Samba game for the Wii??
Can we get more pictures of what the work areas look like? if you have any... I would be very interested to see what their work stations (or cubicles) and general office space look like.
@SithNinja:
You must've been under a rock. Samba is as highly anticipated on the Wii as Okami is.
That is, a lot.
*Once again, goes back to try to read the original article*
I always liked Gearbox after they ported Halo. Didn't they also help develop Half-Life : Opposing Forces? Now that is a good company. Can we have more photos please?
So your saying in Boardelands I could get Gravity Gun, Tau Gun, and a Gluon Gun. Those are guns I've seen, so will they be in it?
I know those are Half Life wepons but are they saying real life guns or all guns. lol, create-a-gun mode.
I'm really loving these guys can-do attitude. Every time I read an interview with them, I believe it! Loved the original Brother in Arms, too.
@SithNinja: *raises hand* Yes please! I missed out on the DC version as it was in short supply in Montana. I can't WAIT to get a Wii version.
I'll pass on Samba. I wish they'd spend their time and resources from Samba on polishing Brothers and Borderlands. As hyped as they are you just KNOW they will ship with glitches and dissapointments. :(
No info about the Alien fps they're doing for Sega? That pic the the Aliens armor and helmet is such a tease!
er, that pic of the
as long as I can make a energy-beam-ray-gun that recharges so I can stop plunking money down for 1000's of rounds... Boarderlands will be awesome.... but then I'd have to buy batteries... *sigh*
@KEITH1437:
This article ties in nicely with the shark gun article posted earlier.
It's odd to see a developer with such previous work do a Samba title, but what they lack in experience they seem to make up for with enthusiasm. I hope that they can turn that enthusiasm into a good game.
samba...SAAAAMBAAA?>??!?!!?!!
YYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
Love that game!
And glad they find the wiimote easy to use, but hard to master.
either you pay up for some decent smart coding brains to help make samba work, and still have change to do the rest, as oppose spending it all just to get someone who can only code it.
i want a samba for the wii, because its made for it!
And make the songs on-lnie updateble!
Let's talk Samba Wii for a second.
Am I the only one worried about how this is going to turn out? Now the idea of using two remotes does give the game promise, but if we're stuck w/ the Remote/Nunchuck we may be in trouble.
If DDR Hottest Party has taught us anything, its that the nunchuck + rhythm based games = hit or miss. No it may just be that Konami's devs aren't very good at math, but I'm not completely sold on a maracas-less Samba game.
I like that story, makes their games sound fun.
Myself, I'm looking forward to this Borderlands thing. I hope, however, one feature they include is the ability to pull up beside another speeding vehicle, jump over to it, smash the driver in the head, throw them out, and take over that vehicle.
Kind of like GTA while moving.
Am I the only one who thinks that only 80-year old men care about painstaking historical accuracy in their World War II shooters? (that is to say, nobody)
Wow - a game where I can wander around a giant plant - neat. What type of plant? Is it a flower? Or a vegetable? Alright, all bad typo jokes aside, borderlands does sound like a great game, and I have to confess, a Samba game on the Wii does sound like A LOT of fun.
@Billkwando:
I stopped caring about WW2 shooters a loooong time ago, but when I still did, historical accuracy made the game more fun for me. It contributes to the fantasy of actually being there and reliving a historical battle.
I thought Gearbox was best known for Opposing Force?
Anyway, I'm glad Brothers in Arms has such historical accuracy. Too bad they decided to make their first two games about the 101st Airborne, like Band of Brothers. And then have their cutscenes open just like the opening of a scene in Band of Brothers.
Pretty much they wanted to make Band of Brothers into a game, but the story and characters didn't seem nearly as solid.
Any word on 3rd party maracas the Wiimote will slip into a la the zapper? I would otherwise think I'm missing the percussive feel of the original!
Technology issues aside, what about Samba's near-insane aesthetics? The game was a super bouncy cute bizarre-fest on the Dreamcast, one of Sonic Team's finest moments in creating a euphoric, surreal atmosphere. The trance state your monkey enters when you achieve a perfect score is both relaxing and disturbing.
There's also the question on a music selection. Will it feature all of the old tracks? Sega or Gearbox related bonus tracks (If you can shake it After Burner you can probably shake it to Call of Duty).
Regardless, I miss that little monkey. He's so damned happy, as if he's saying, "Hey man, don't worry. Everyone messes up at that part of Take On Me." I love that guy.
So, in summary, even they don't know how to make maracas work in the game? I could've told them that was going to happen.
Actually, gearbox was involved in pretty much half-life EVERYTHING.
[en.wikipedia.org]
HL: Op-For was an awesome expansion, and HL: Blue Shift sealed the deal for my love of gearbox.
Samba de Amigo? On the Wii?
Yes. Oh God, yes.
Now somebody needs to bring Seaman to the DS.
Those games, combined with my old copy of Skies of Arcadia for the Gamecube might finally get me to stop mourning the loss of the Dreamcast.
@Cpryd001:
Yes, Gearbox brought us both OpFor and Blue Shift. I love them doubly for that.
I'm quite intrigued by Borderlands and their attitude toward its features.
And then they have the Alien Shooter for SEGA in the works too correct? They are busy busy guys.
You guys forgot there "best known for" title is Opposing Force ....the sequel to Half-Life. A game that is just as solid as the original.
I always liked Randy Pitchford. Even back when Gearbox was catching a lot of flak over the Halo PC port (which I should mention is FAR less buggy and much smoother playing than the piece of crap Halo 2 PC that the almighty team of Bungie/MS foisted on us). Many developers profess to be hardcore gamers but you get the sense that Pitchford truly is (which would make sense seeing he started out from the Quake mod community back in the day).
Anyhow, Borderlands sounds like my kind of game. I'm a total FPS weapon whore so I can't wait to see what they've come up with.
I was going to say I'm excited about gearbox's 2008 year, but apparently "I just don't care."
only two comments inquiring about the aliens fps?
while i highly anticipate the new bia and borderlands looks cool enough, the xenomorph fanboy in me is dying to know more about what's going on with the fps.... god i hope it's good... and no ripley please. much better if it focused on a squad of marines.
I don't think he's played the IW CoD games.
Samba on the Wii was one of my first thoughts when I understood what the wii-mote and nunchuck could do. I have been so excited for it!
Borderlands and guns ... lots of them ... then you better make a shark gun!
and I live in Plano or what Ashcraft labels as "suburban Dallas" city and have met some of the Brothers in Arms guys and they are the nicest, most open and humble guys you could meet. I went to Video Games Live and some where in attendenace at the meet and greet, I brought my Brothers in Arms manuals to sign and they were so excited to meet a fan and so surprised that someone did their homework before coming to the show. ^_^ I hope I can meet more Gearbox crew, maybe I should just pop buy HQ and say hello. ;)
@ProdigyXL: what about some of the more eccentric weapons from the Turok series ? I'm thinking the Cerebreal Bore (turok2) specifically. or are they all just varient rifles, rpgs, and pistols ?
I really hope Samba on the Wii proves to be good as I may yet end up buying the orginal off ebay for my Dreamcast at the vastly inflated prices it still goes for. Also, I hope it's not simply a rehash of the first Samba but a genuinely new game improving on the best of Dreamcast's Samba de Amigo and Samba de Amigo 2000. Please make it so, Gearbox...
I want the disco gun from Ratchet. I have this dream, see, of hundreds of men in soldier's uniforms under a spinning disco ball....
I wonder what that means.
@ballaboy311: so in 2 years when a wii is like 99.99 US and there's this range of cool first and third party games to play, you're going to hold nintendo accountable for successful marketing?. Like, if you're still playing a dreamcast why wouldn't you want a wii. there are reasons not to spend 350 dollars on a 360 that might not work or 400 dollars on a PS3 that doesn't play PS2 games because they want you to buy PS3 games but I can't imagine a scenario where a dreamcast owner who likes samba de amigo wouldn't find something to do with a Wii, politics or not.
@Cartman86: hence the colonial marine armor on the gentleman in the picture.
Borderlands really has my eye.. Now the game for the WII, unfortunately ..never heard of it. Looks really cute though. Plus I do not have a WII..
Anyways, the weapons system sounds extremely interesting.. I hope they pull it off extremely well. Plus the idea of, I guess real time fighting with the leveling up sounds nice to. My kind of game.
The point he made about Master Chief is indeed a true one as well, although its a comparison that seems to of come at you from your blind spot.
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